Since his sudden and unceremonious axing from the Australian Radio Network (ARN), Mitch Churi has been spending his time ruminating on, well, many things.
From the initial shock of being told he no longer had a job with the station he “gave his entire youth to”, Churi told Mediaweek, he now views the event as an opportunity.
There was, however, one person in particular Churi revealed was “beyond kind and gracious” after learning of his redundancy: Kyle Sandilands.
“I spoke to both Kyle and Jackie O and they both said they were gutted and shocked and didn’t think it was fair,” Churi said.
Churi said Sandilands also took time to offer him something of a reality check: “He reminded me that this is the industry. If you think of any radio presenter, especially on commercial radio, they’ve all been sacked at one time or another – it even happened to Kyle back in the day.”
The chat, in turn, confirming one of radio’s worst-kept secrets – that King Kyle’s bad guy of radio act is just that, an act. “He was beyond kind and gracious and offered to do whatever he could to help me get work,” a clearly flattered Churi said.
The affable 29-year-old also told Mediaweek that despite no longer being part of The Pick Up – the show he used to host with former reality TV stars Laura Byrne and Brittany Hockley, not a day has gone by without the trio catching up with each other.
Brittany Hockley, Mitch Churi and Laura Byrne.
“They are my best friends” he said. “I love them, I love them. We talk every day. And you know, working together is not over. I’m coming back with them on their podcast – so there’ll soon be a way to consume the three of us again,” Churi joked.
As for the future, Churi revealed he was “putting a lot of time and energy” into his real passion, TV, after being named as a finalist for ACCTA’s Reg Grundy Award.
The prize? $50,000 to create and make a new piece of unscripted television.
Churi’s idea? What else – The Mitch Churi Chat Show.
“I’m currently working on a treatment, and I’ve got a pitch together,” he revealed to Mediaweek.
“It’s basically a Graham Norton style chat show, and I’m currently putting together a treatment. Hopefully I can get a pilot off the ground and we can shop around to networks.”
“I kind of got into radio to end up in TV, so it all kind of feels like … the timing is just right,” he said.
The winner of the award will be announced on 7th February at the ACCTA Awards.
Pictured: Kyle Sandilands and Mitch Churi.